Stone dust a health risk at Burimari
400 illegal stone crushers operate near the land port
Due to thick cloud of stone dust from the stone crushing machines, people of Lalmonirhat's Burimari Land Port area are facing serious health hazards.
Nobody can move in the area without using mask because of the air pollution created by the stone dust.
Visitors, local people, especially school going children, are the worst sufferers as both the air and sound pollution makes their life miserable.
About four hundred stone crushing machines are installed within the three kilometres area of the land port, where at least three schools and several offices are situated.
Owners of these stones crushing machines are operating their machines from morning to evening every day and sometimes till late night.
Abdus Samad, 55, a visitor from the capital, said as he was not aware about the local environment here he didn't bring any mask.
“I have to suffer a lot for not having a mask as the air here is seriously polluted due to the stone crushing,” Samad said.
Montazur Rahman, 48, a resident of Burimari village, said they feel disturbed in their homes and even can't sleep peacefully due to the loud sound of the crushing machines.
Robiul Islam, 48, headmaster of Burimari Hasor Uddin High School, said due to the loud sound of the crushing machines teachers and students cannot be attentive in the classes.
“We cannot move freely because of the stone dust,” he said adding that they have appealed to the local administration to save them from the pollution.
Dr Rafiqul Islam, resident medical officer (RMO) of Patgram Upazila Health Complex, said dust pollution can cause various types of diseases like asthma, fever, headache, weakness and can slowly damage human respiratory system.
Burimari UP Chairman Abu Sayeed Newaz Nishat said following the directives from the Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) he has already served notices to the owners to remove their machines from the area within two months.
Patgram UNO Qutubul Alam said in the last one year they have conducted mobile court drives and fined several owners, which are not sufficient to stop the practice.
Saifuddin Ahmed, inspector of Department of Environment (DoE) in Rangpur, said the owners are operating the stone crushing machines illegally as they do not have any approval of the DoE.